Flat panel display unit provided with attachment means and attachment unit for the removable attachment of an object

ABSTRACT

A flat panel display unit ( 1 ) has a display screen ( 3 ) on a front side ( 5 ) and a rear panel ( 7 ) having an outer surface ( 9 ) on an opposite rear side ( 11 ), the display unit being provided with attachment means for the removable attachment of the rear panel ( 7 ) of the display unit ( 1 ) to a surface ( 13 ) of a supporting structure such as a room wall, a car dashboard, a refrigerator cabinet, a piece of furniture, etc., the attachment the elements: adhesive means ( 39 ), suction cup means ( 19 ), hook-and-loop fastening means ( 45 ), hook means, permanent magnet means ( 33 ). The display unit ( 1 ) is provided with at least one integrated attachment unit ( 15; 17 ) comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset of said attachment means set and being permanently secured to the rear panel ( 7 ) outer surface ( 9 ).

The present invention relates to a flat panel display unit having a display screen on a front side and a rear panel having an outer surface on an opposite rear side, the display unit being provided with attachment means for the removable attachment of the rear panel of the display unit to a surface of a supporting structure, the attachment means comprising a variety of means from an attachment means set comprising at least the elements: adhesive means, suction cup means, hook-and-loop fastening means, hook means, permanent magnet means.

The invention also and relates to an attachment unit for the removable attachment of an object such as a flat panel display unit to a surface of a supporting structure.

With the increasing emphasis on portable multimedia products, more particularly portable TV products such as LCD TV (LCD: Liquid Crystal Display) or OLED TV (OLED: Organic Light Emitting Diode) currently under development, new ways are pursued for attaching such products at various locations where the user of the product intends to use it, for example in a car, in a kitchen, outdoors, etc., for example, for watching TV broadcasts.

JP 63001264-A discloses a flat panel display unit having a display screen on a front side and a rear panel having an outer surface on an opposite rear side. The display unit is provided with attachments means for the removable attachment of the rear panel of the display unit to a surface of a supporting structure, which could be a room wall, a car dashboard, a refrigerator cabinet, a peace of furniture, etc. The attachment means comprises a variety of means comprising adhesive means, suction cup means, hook-and-loop fastening means, hook means and permanent magnet means. To accommodate these various attachment means, the display unit is provided on its rear side with a channel bracket for selectively inserting one of the attachment means provided with the display unit. If, for example, the suction cup means have been used for attaching the display unit on a flat surface such as a mirror or a tiled wall, the user may remove the suction cup means from the channel bracket, insert the permanent magnet means instead and then attach the display unit to a metallic supporting structure such as a refrigerator cabinet, a car body, etc.

A person using the flat panel display unit according to the prior art had to keep a number of interchangeable separate attachment means wish the panel display unit in order to be able to attach the display unit on different kinds of supporting structures requiring the use of different kinds of attachment means. This is a definite disadvantage of the prior art solution. The separate attachment means, which are relatively small items, may easily be lost or mislaid, destroying the purpose of the attachment means to be able to attach the display units to different kinds of supporting structures. Also, on the manufacturing side, the logistical problems are increased as each and any display unit which is sold to the consumer has to be supplied with a number of separate small attachment means for use with the display unit.

The invention seeks to alleviate the disadvantages of the prior-art solution by providing a flat panel display unit and an attachment unit for the removable attachment of an object such as a flat panel display unit of the kind referred to above, but being characterized by the features defined in the characterizing part of the independent claims 1 and 4, respectively.

With the flat panel display unit according to the invention, it is no longer necessary to have a number of separate attachment means at one's disposal for attaching the display unit against various kinds of supporting structures. The integrated attachment unit is permanently secured to the rear panel outer surface and is suitable for attaching a flat panel display unit to various kinds of supporting structures. Thus, no separate attachment means items need to be carried around or may be lost. The manufacturer may supply the product with the attachment means permanently secured to the rear panel outer surface in the factory. The integrated attachment unit according to the invention may be sold as a commercial item to manufacturers of flat panel display units or other products that may benefit from the use of an attachment unit of the invention, or directly to consumers who may have a use for it.

Claim 2 defines a preferred embodiment of the flat panel display unit according to the invention. The ability to attach the flat panel display unit to different supporting structures is greatly enhanced by providing more than one attachment unit while also the attachment of the display unit may be more secure.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention is defined in claim 3. By supplying integrated attachment units on the rear panel outer surface of the display unit comprising different subsets of attachment means, it is guaranteed that the flat panel display unit may be attached to most any supporting structure having a polished flat surface, a metallic surface, a rough surface, a textile fabric surface, etc.

A preferred embodiment of the attachment units according to the invention is defined in claim 5. In this embodiment, the space available on the inside of the suction cup means is used to advantage to accommodate permanent magnet means for attachment to metallic surfaces.

Claim 6 relates to an advantageous embodiment which is additionally provided with pressure-sensitive adhesive means on the rim portion of the suction cup means and/or on the permanent magnetic means.

A further interesting embodiment of the invention is defined in claim 7, in which additionally hook-and-loop fastening means are provided for attachment to, for example, textile fabric surfaces or to a corresponding hook-and-loop fastening means portion present on the supporting structure to which the flat panel display unit may be attached.

To facilitate removal of the suction cup means from an opposite surface, an embodiment as defined in claim 8 may be used to advantage. The valve means may be operated manually when the user wishes to remove the object such as a flat panel display unit from the surface of the supporting structure.

The invention will now be described with reference to the enclosed drawing which relates to non-limiting examples of embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flat panel display unit attached to a surface of a supporting structure,

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the flat panel display unit according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side view in a cross-section through the center of an attachment unit used with the display unit of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale, and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of an alternative embodiment of an attachment unit.

The Figures in the drawing are shown on an arbitrary scale and like parts are indicated by like reference numerals in the various Figures.

FIG. 1 shows a flat panel display unit 1 having a display screen 3 on a front side 5 and a rear panel 7 having an outer surface 9 on an opposite rear side 11, the display unit being provided with attachment means for the removable attachment of the rear panel 7 of the display unit 1 to a surface 13 of a supporting structure (not shown) such as a room wall, a car dashboard, a refrigerator cabinet, a piece of furniture, etc. The attachment means comprise integrated attachment units 15 comprising a variety of means from an attachment means set comprising at least the elements: adhesive means, suction cup means, hook-and-loop fastening means, hook means, permanent magnet means. Each integrated attachment unit 15 comprises a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset of the above indicated attachment means and is permanently secured to the outer surface 9 of the rear panel 7 by suitable means such as gluing, screws, rivets, etc.

In the context of the present application, a subset of attachment means is intended to mean a set comprising either all of the elements from another set or an arbitrary selection of elements from another set.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the display unit 1 is provided with four identical integrated attachment units 15 attached to the rear panel outer surface 9. Alternatively, one or more of the integrated attachment units attached to the outer surface 9 of the rear panel 7 may comprise a subset of attachment means different from the subset of at least one other integrated attachment unit. An example which will be discussed below of such an alternative attachment unit is the attachment unit 17 which is shown in FIG. 4.

The attachment units 15 and 17 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be used for the removable attachment of an object such as, for example, a flat panel display unit 1 according to FIG. 1 to a surface 13 of a supporting structure (not shown) such as a room wall, a car dashboard, a refrigerator cabinet, a piece of furniture, etc. The attachment units 15 and 17 are integrated attachment units, each comprising a variety of attachment means from an attachment means set comprising at least the following elements: adhesive means, suction cup means, hook-and-loop fastening means, hook means, permanent magnet means, as will be discussed below.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the attachment unit 15 comprises a suction cup means 19 made of resilient flexible material such as a suitable plastic or rubber material, and has a bottom portion 21 having an outer surface 23 to be directed to the rear panel outer surface 9 of the flat panel display unit 1 and an opposite axially spaced rear surface 25. A peripheral flange portion 27 is provided which is axially spaced from the portion 21 and has an annular rim surface 29 for airtight cooperation with an opposite surface 13 of a supporting structure (not shown). An intermediate resiliently flexible wall portion 31 extends between the bottom portion 21 and the peripheral flange portion 27. In the embodiment shown, the flange portion 27 has a circular shape, refer more particularly to FIG. 2. However, alternative shapes may be provided such as an ellipsoidal shape, rectangular, square with rounded corners, etc.

The intermediate resiliently flexible wall portion 31 is deformable between a relaxed shape shown in FIG. 3 in a relaxed state of the suction cup means 15 and an axially deformed shape (not shown) nearer to the bottom portion 21 in a deformed state (not shown) of the suction cup means 15. Considering the fact that suction cup means for the removable attachment of objects to flat surfaces are widely known in the prior art, a more detailed explanation of the operation of the suction cup means 19 will not be given.

Circular permanent magnet means 33 are permanently secured to the outer surface 23 of the bottom portion 21 of the suction cup means 19, for example, by adhesive means. The permanent magnet means 33 have an exposed magnetic outer surface 35 disposed substantially flush with the annular rim surface 29 on the suction cup means 19 when in the deformed state. In the embodiment of the integrated attachment unit 15 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the permanent magnet means 33 may be provided with a number of annular depressions or grooves 37 to enhance magnetic adhesion to non-smooth metallic surfaces such as rough or discontinuous metallic structures, etc.

The integrated attachment unit 15 comprises a layer 39 of pressure sensitive adhesive means of the type suitable for removable attachment to an object, which layer 39 of pressure sensitive adhesive means is arranged on the rim surface 29 of the suction cup means 19 and/or on the permanent magnet means 35. Thus, an attachment unit is provided which may be attached to an opposite surface by suction, adhesion, a magnetic attraction force or by any combination of suction, adhesion and magnetic force.

The alternative integrated attachment unit 17 according to FIG. 4 is provided with suction cup means identical to those of FIG. 3 and has therefore been denoted by the same reference numerals. Magnetic means 41 of generally the same nature, shape and dimension as the magnetic means 33 of FIG. 3 are provided on the outer surface 23 of the bottom portion 21 of the suction cup means 19. In the middle portion of the magnetic means 41, however, a circular depression 43 has been created in which a hook-and-loop fastening means portion 45 is arranged, such that an exposed outer surface 47 of the hook-and-loop fastening means portion 45 is disposed substantially flush with the annular rim surface 29 of the suction cup means 19 in the deformed state. The hook-and-loop fastening means portion 45 may be secured to the permanent magnetic means 41, for example, by suitable adhesive means. It will probably be advantageous when the exposed outer surface 47 of the hook-and-loop fastening means portion 45 is not exclusively comprised of loops only but also comprises hooks or possibly comprises hooks only. The ability of the hook-and-loop fastening means portion 45 to attach by interengagement with surface parts of a textile fabric surface or similar surface may probably be enhanced if the exposed outer surface 47 comprises hooks or hooks only.

Once the suction cup means 19 cooperates with an opposite surface by suction forces created by a partial vacuum on the inside of the suction cup means, removing the suction cup means from the opposite surface may be facilitated by manually operating valve means for selectively putting the sealed air space present between the suction cup means and the opposite surface in air communication with the ambient air. Such manually operable valve means are not shown in the drawing but may be of any suitable kind known from the prior art and may be disposed directly on the outer surface of, for example, the flexible wall portion 31 of the suction cup means or may be connected to the suction cup mean, for example, by a short section of tubing, etc. Suitably, the valve means may be of the kind known from the prior art comprising a frusto-conical valve body which may be inserted in a circular opening in air communication with the suction cup interior, for example, the opening at the free end of a short piece of tubing or a through bore in the wall of the suction cup extending between the bottom portion and the flange portion.

Although the invention has been discussed with reference to a few specific examples, the invention is by no means restricted to these examples and is limited only by the scope of the independent claims 1 and 4. The set of attachment means, for example, is not limited to the elements described and may comprise further different elements such as apertured means for the insertion of a protrusion present on a supporting surface such as a nail or a screw head or still other attachment means elements. 

1. A flat panel display unit (1) having a display screen (3) on a front side (5) and a rear panel (7) having an outer surface (9) on an opposite rear side (11), the display unit being provided with attachment means for the removable attachment of the rear panel (7) of the display unit (1) to a surface (13) of a supporting structure, the attachment means comprising a variety of means from an attachment means set, characterized in that the display unit (1) is provided with at least one integrated attachment unit (15; 17) comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset of said attachment means set and being permanently secured to the rear panel (7) outer surface (9).
 2. A flat panel display unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the display unit (1) is provided with a plurality of identical integrated attachment units (15) attached to the rear panel outer surface (9).
 3. A flat panel display unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the display unit (1) is provided with a plurality of integrated attachment units (15; 17) attached to the rear panel (7) outer surface (9), at least one of the attachment units (17) comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset different from the subset of at least one other integrated attachment unit (15).
 4. An attachment unit (15; 17) for the removable attachment of an object such as a flat panel display unit (1) to a surface (13) of a supporting structure, characterized in that the attachment unit is an integrated attachment unit (15; 17) and comprises a variety of attachment means from an attachment means set comprising at least the elements: adhesive means (39), suction cup means (19), hook-and-loop fastening means (45), hook means, permanent magnet means (33).
 5. An attachment unit (15) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the attachment unit comprises: a suction cup means (19) made of resilient flexible material having a bottom portion (21) having an outer surface (23) and an opposite axially spaced rear surface (25) to be directed to rear panel outer surface (9) of a flat panel display unit (1), a peripheral flange portion (27) axially spaced from the bottom portion (21) and having an annular rim surface (29) suitable for airtight cooperation with an opposite surface (13) of a supporting structure, and an intermediate resiliently flexible wall portion (31) which is deformable between a relaxed shape in a relaxed state of the suction cup means (15) and an axially deformed shape nearer to the bottom portion (21) in a deformed state of the suction cup means (15), permanent magnet means (33) permanently secured to the bottom portion outer surface (23) of the suction cup means (19) and having an exposed magnetic outer surface (35) disposed substantially flush with the annular rim surface (29) of the suction cup means (19) when the suction cup means (19) is in the deformed state.
 6. An integrated attachment unit as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the attachment unit (15) comprises a layer (39) of pressure-sensitive adhesive means of the type suitable for removable attachment to an object, arranged on the rim surface (29) of the suction cup means (19) and/or on the permanent magnetic means (35).
 7. An integrated attachment unit as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the attachment unit (17) comprises a hook-and-loop fastening means portion (45) arranged such that an exposed outer surface (47) of the hook-and-loop fastening means portion (45) is disposed substantially flush with the annular rim surface (29) of the suction cup means (19) when the suction cup means (19) is in the deformed state.
 8. An integrated attachment unit as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the suction cup means (19) is provided with manually operable valve means for selectively putting a sealed air space present between the suction cup means and an opposite surface in air communication with the ambient air to facilitate removal of the suction cup means from the opposite surface. 